PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Farewell call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives by the outgoing Ukrainian Ambassador to Malta

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Anġlu Farrugia, received a farewell call from outgoing Ambassador of Ukraine to Malta, Yaraslav Melnyk.

During the meeting, Speaker Farrugia expressed his appreciation for Ambassador Melnyk's efforts in strengthening the bilateral relations between Malta and Ukraine throughout his tenure. He acknowledged the important role played by the ambassador in fostering dialogue and cooperation at both the parliamentary and political levels.

The Speaker reiterated Malta's steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's war of aggression, underlining the commitment of the Maltese Parliament to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. He recalled Malta's active engagement on issues related to Ukraine, particularly during its Chairpersonship of the OSCE and in its current role as Presidency of the Council of Europe, where attention has been given to accountability and the protection of human rights, with a particular focus on the children of Ukraine.

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia recalled that he was part of the initiative suggesting the testing of DNA on children to identify whether they are of Ukrainian or Russian origin. This initiative was agreed to by both Ukraine and Russia. He also referred to his role as President of the Committee to promote respect for international law as well as his active membership on the IPU Task Force on the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine. The Speaker reaffirmed his commitment to continue his endeavours in promoting peace and that Ukraine is always at the top of the agenda during international events.

Ambassador Melnyk thanked the Speaker and the Maltese authorities for their continuous political and humanitarian support to Ukraine, especially in times of great difficulty. He expressed gratitude for Malta's strong advocacy at the multilateral level, including within the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of continuing to build on the positive momentum in Malta–Ukraine relations, including through parliamentary diplomacy and enhanced cooperation in fields of mutual interest.

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia conveyed his best wishes to Ambassador Melnyk in his future endeavours, noting that his contributions have left a lasting legacy in the relations between Malta and Ukraine.